


Their cross to bear (FFXIVWrite2020 Day 01 - Crux)

by Ivelia



Series: FFXIV Write 2020 [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Gen, Patch 5.3: Reflections in Crystal Spoilers, Tumblr: FFXIVwrite2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:08:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26249971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ivelia/pseuds/Ivelia
Summary: Part of my attempt for #FFXIVWrite2020 - September 1 (Day 1 - Crux)The Warrior of Light ponders as she goes to visit an old friend.Spoilers for Patch 5.3 read at your own discretion.
Series: FFXIV Write 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906951
Kudos: 2
Collections: Final Fantasy Write Prompt Challenge 2020





	Their cross to bear (FFXIVWrite2020 Day 01 - Crux)

\- "Whether or not he will be able to return to his body on the Source, depends on whether he will be able to recognize this younger, past version as himself. This is the crux of this issue."

This statement, paraphrased from the antiquated words of her book loving friend, still echoed within her ears as she walked down the dark hallways of the Labyrinth. The implications of what would happen otherwise were probably better left untold; yet, the closer she got to her friend's _thankfully not final, "yet"_ resting place, the heavier this alternate, probably lethal possibilities weighed on her. _She didn't want to lose yet another friend_. A worried sigh escaped her lips:

\- "There are so many things that we have left to discover, so many ancient civilizations to study, so, _so_ many sights to see. You won't leave me hanging, won't you?"

After a while, she arrived close to the gilded doors of the Syrcus Tower, and remembered. It seemed forever ago but… From the moment these massive gates closed on his confident smile on that fateful day, she had hoped that eventually, they would find an alternate way to seal the Tower; freed from this harrowing duty, he would finally be able to join her to go on grand, glorious adventures, like he had always wanted. Sometimes, she'd remember him, wishing to do _something_ about his predicament, but there was always a world to save from one calamity or another, and not a lot of time and resources to save a friend that had actually decided on his own final destination, and wasn't even in immediate danger, especially considering that this endeavour would come with the risk of unleashing the unchecked possibilities hidden in the Allagan tower to the wider world.

In retrospect, that she had not been able to act on those wishes had been a blessing in disguise, since it ultimately helped to the braves of a forgotten future to change the course of history. Ironically, in that other time and space, he did accomplish his duty on bestowing the wonders of ancient Allag to the worthy, and even went the extra malm, carrying the light of hope to the distant shores of the First, where he had relentlessly toiled for a century, waiting for their reunion.

It had indeed been a long time for her, but so, so much longer for him. Yet he already had been able to hold on for all this time… She hesitated. Maybe they could wait a little bit more? How fast was the decay of a persona, once encased in a soul vessel? Now that their friends had been successfully restored to their own bodies, there was no more reason to rush. Perhaps they could afford to wait for a bit to ensure that there was a sure-fire way to make the younger body and soul of the red-haired Miqo'te scholar merge with the venerable Crystal Exarch?

Or maybe they could go a completely different way, and use Allagan or Garlean "clone" technology to produce another, soul-less version of his shell, that would make the rejoining of his spirit and flesh easier? Why go to such lengths to live again just one second earlier? Though… It was a bit of a hypocritical question from her. Being an adventurer herself, with the thirst for the next thrill permeating her very being, she reckoned that she would probably not even have batted an eye at the idea, had their positions been reversed.

She took a long, hard look at the delicate vessel in her hand, softly glowing in the dimly lit corridor. So precious. So fragile. This was her friend. Her hand felt heavy with responsibility, yet her grip didn't flinch, and would _not_ , for anything in the world. A trust so complete… There was no way she would betray it. She couldn't do it. She couldn't _not_ go through with this. It had been his choice to do this, and given the days and nights he spent discussing at length about these matters with Beq Lugg, he might have known way more about these risks that she ever would. In the end, she decided to trust him and support him, as his friend. She couldn't rob him of this; if she did, even if they managed to wake him up months, years, decades later, how would she explain that "I decided to use a different method to wake you up, because I had not trust in your strength of character."

She remembered the him from the time of their little NOAH venture; a brash young historian, slightly annoying at the start, eager for adventure, but always chained to his books and responsibilities instead, that turned out to be the most reliable companion in the end, even sealing up his own future to protect the tower and its secrets, or rather, protect everyone from the tower itself. Deep down, he had always been like that: ready to sacrifice his great dreams for the sake of accomplishing his given duty, whether it was to protect the tower and its secrets, or to maintain the light of hope in two worlds on the brink of destruction. She smiled fondly:

\- "Nothing in him had changed, really… So this was not an issue to begin with."

With this epiphany, she stepped in the Tower once more, her step as light, sprightly, and determined as her mind. This time, she wanted to properly protect his dreams. Just like her, he had been bearing his cross alone, for a long time, no, for a longer time than her; she would not deny him even one more second of the sweetness that came with the freedom from the chain of his duty, feasting his eyes on the world he had saved. He deserved it, for he was more a hero than she ever was.

* * *

It did not take her long to locate his slumbering form: strangely enough, she could almost feel the soul vessel in her hand thrumming, almost eager, as she got closer to him. In the still silence of the Allagan megastructure, she delicately set the vessel on the armrest of the seat where he was curled up in an absolutely uncomfortable, but typically feline fashion, and waited, looking at him, intently but serenely, as the faintly gleaming object turned blindingly radiant, and the minute movements of life started to appear on the inanimate frame.

\- "Why hello there, old man. It's been a long time."

His groggy air, complete with slowly batting eyelashes shrouding his confused gaze and twitching velvety ears, definitively belonged more on a starry eyed youth than a wizened sage, yet so totally _him_. She had a vision of a similar scene, back then, under the everlasting light of Kholusia, and her smile deepened.

\- "A … long time?" His slightly panicked voice rose slightly as he struggled to try to get up, his limbs still numb and uncoordinated from his long slumber. "Wait, how long have I been like this?" He stared at her face, pretty much unchanged since that moment in front of Emperor Xande's crystal throne where they had neutralized their last foe together, yet he doubted his eyes, as Elezen were known to age slowly. Perceiving the implication from his vacant stare, she lightly flicked his forehead:

\- "Just kidding, dummy. It's been a few hours at most". She pacifyingly patted his arm. "Take it easy now, but not too long. There's not enough rest for the braves". She left him a few minutes to compose himself, and offered her helping hand as he moved to stand up " _Now_ is where your destiny awaits, Raha."

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for the first day is "Crux"... Why so hard right at the beginning aaaaa  
> Coming from a latin based language (French), the first meaning that came to my mind is "cross"... which is absolutely not the meaning this word has in English aaaaaaa  
> I think the English meaning is closer to "the main point/node of an issue / argument", maybe also the notion of "standing at a crossroad"? so I guess I rolled all of this together and went heavy like a sack of bricks right at the beginning lololol


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